More than half of the world’s population now lives in cities, and city governments face a wide range of challenges as these urban centers are expected to keep growing in the coming decades. The number of megacities—those with at least 10 million residents—will exceed 40 by 2030, according to the United Nations, further straining resources and creating more demand for new solutions.
Maintaining a good quality of life in these growing cities requires intensive focus on priorities such as decreasing traffic gridlock and enabling people to move around cities faster, improving public safety and reducing crime, and managing clean air and water. Incorporating AI and digital technologies is helping to address these needs, though most cities are still at the beginning of this transformation.
Most cities are focused on becoming Safe Cities, with an emphasis on physical security and solutions for emergency services, commercial security, and monitoring. This market is predicted to grow at nearly 21 percent a year between now and 2030.
As technologies ranging from AI to pervasive connectivity and multi-sensor fusion transform our infrastructure from cloud to edge, cities will evolve from being Safe Cities to Smart Cities. The accelerating importance of AI and video is delivering innovative solutions and extending AI practically everywhere to deliver smarter services, safer streets, and a healthier and more sustainable urban environment for every resident.
The global population is rapidly expanding, and people are increasingly moving toward cities. Fifty-five percent of us live in urban areas today; in 2050, it will be 68 percent. We will not always be able to build new AI-ready cities from the ground up to accommodate the needs of urban residents. Our smart Cities will need to become Adaptable Cities. As AI and other technologies continue to help and evolve our smart cities become regenerative, sustainable, and more equitable, Intel is working with our ecosystem partners to realize this future of Adaptable Cities.
Bringing AI to Smart Cities
Intel’s expertise in AI means cities can rely on our solutions to provide AI at every data point, full-spectrum vision, multi-modal sensor fusion, and pervasive connectivity. The real-time intelligence from video enabled by Intel’s AI solutions is critical across Smart Cities use cases.
We developed our AI Suite for Visual Analytics as a scalable AI and video analytics solution that enables automated computer vision and inferencing use cases across smart communities, smart parks, transportation, and fleet management. The suite enables partners to design, develop, deploy, and scale video and AI solutions, and move quickly from development to deployment. and move quickly from development to deployment.
The AI Suite for Visual Analytics is based on the Intel processors and GPU and partnering with the original design manufacturers ensures that the solution comes pre-installed and validated with foundational software such as Intel® XPU drivers, graphic accelerator libraries, Intel® Deep Learning Streamer, and toolkits like Intel® OpenVINO™. Additionally, the software stack is modular and containerized, making it very easy for our customers to hand-pick the software modules they need to optimize their end-to-end video + AI pipelines. It also enables our OEM, software, and system integration partners to get a head-start in building AI or video solutions to satisfy emerging use cases across cities, transportation, critical infrastructure, and other industry segments. The suite of pre-validated reference implementations targeting vertical use cases such as transportation fleet management, intelligent traffic management, public safety, and security enables our customers to explore the art of the possibility and push the boundaries of innovation while delivering human-centric and livability outcomes to citizens.
Although the cloud remains vital, placing powerful processing closer to where data is generated allows data to be analyzed and acted on at the edge to enable automated or autonomous operations. With multi-sensor fusion and advanced AI-enabled compute becoming more ubiquitous, these technologies build upon and enhance each other to create a cycle of increasing impact and accelerated capabilities.
Looking forward: Looking toward Adaptable Cities
AI and other advanced technologies have the potential to address challenges and steer us toward a sustainable future as cities grow. Smart Cities of the future will feature physical infrastructure that’s augmented by digital solutions that are easier to develop, manage, deploy, and upgrade. These investments can provide maximum results with minimal cost and effort. In fact, they’ll provide the return on investment needed to ensure positive economic outcomes and growth. AI at the edge also will provide more consistent experiences for city residents—cultivating a better sense of safety, security, and opportunity.
To build future-ready cities, we need to think now about how technological innovation can improve everything from water delivery to waste management and allow cities to be regenerative to support circular and sustainable economies. In some cases, this will happen by building new cities that are AI-ready from the beginning. But we also need to transform existing cities and their infrastructure to help them evolve and run as efficiently as new cities.
As Smart Cities advance into Adaptable Cities, AI at the edge will contribute to enhanced quality of life through more equitable access to the services and opportunities that residents need to thrive. Cities that are transformed by AI can look forward to a future where urban efficiency and sustainability are achievable realities rather than just distant goals.
Partner with Intel to create smarter cities
At Intel, our technologies, resources, and partner ecosystem are dedicated to improving cities around the world. You can read how Intel solutions and our AI Suite for Visual Analytics are succeeding in making this happen now.
We’re welcoming those who want to partner with Intel and join us in making our vision of Adaptable Cities a reality. As part of that effort, we’ve launched the Intel® Edge Solutions Challenge, an ongoing series of time-bound campaigns intended to accelerate the development of end-to-end solutions aimed at solving some of the world’s most challenging problems. Participants can access premium-level support and collaboration with Intel mentors and subject matter experts.
As we continue to provide AI solutions to these cities, we’re confident that their residents will experience a greater sense of safety and security, as well as more equitable access to opportunities that allow them to thrive. Partner with Intel and join us in making our vision of Adaptable cities a reality! Join the Intel® Edge Solutions Challenge!
Learn more or register for the Smart Cities & Transportation challenge today. The overall Intel Edge Solutions Challenge, a series of ongoing contests, is designed to support and award our ecosystem partners as they develop and deploy optimized solutions based on Intel® architecture and technologies. Qualified solutions that meet the challenge requirements will be judged, and top solutions will receive even more benefits and awards.
Vice President, Data Platforms Group,
General Manager, Smart Edge Platforms Division
Intel Corporation
Renu N. Navale is vice president in the Data Platforms Group and general manager of the Smart Edge Platforms Division at Intel Corporation. She is responsible for overall strategy, software and platforms that strengthen Intel’s presence in the network edge computing business sector. She also leads ecosystem enabling for the Network Platforms Group (NPG) to accelerate network and edge transformation, and she fosters scale and industrywide collaboration through open source initiatives.
Navale joined Intel in 2004 with extensive experience in networking and software. During her Intel career, she has held positions in strategic planning, product management, software marketing and engineering, and in 2015, she earned an Intel Achievement Award, the company’s highest recognition. In 2019, Navale was a finalist for the Edge Computing Woman of Year industry award from Edge Computing World and State of Edge. She also serves on the board of LFEdge, an industry initiative focused on creating an open source community for Edge.
Before assuming her current role in 2017, Navale served as technical assistant and chief of staff to the vice president and general manager of NPG. Earlier in her Intel career, she oversaw the creation and launch of the Intel Network Builders program. Her tenure at Intel also includes managing the strategic planning team in the Internet of Things Group’s automotive division, where she led autonomous driving and connected car strategies.
Before joining Intel, Navale worked on wireless, VoIP, and network management technologies at Nokia Networks. Her achievements were recognized twice with the company’s highest award for software design and innovation during her eight-year tenure.
Navale holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from Bangalore University in India, a master’s degree in computer science and engineering from Arizona State University, and an MBA degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. She has published multiple papers on topics related to wireless technologies.
An active champion of STEM education, Navale volunteers as a programming coach and science fair mentor and judge. She is currently on the advisory board for the SciTech Institute and the Girls Innovation Academy to promote STEM education. She also champions diversity and inclusion efforts for NPG as part of the People First initiative.